696
NOUS44 KHUN 162112
PNSHUN
ALZ001>010-016-TNZ076-096-097-170915-
PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL
412 PM CDT MON MAR 16 2026
..NWS DAMAGE SURVEY FOR 03/15/2026 TORNADO EVENT
BONNERTOWN
RATING: EF1
ESTIMATED PEAK WIND: 105 MPH
PATH LENGTH /STATUTE/: 14.53 MILES
PATH WIDTH /MAXIMUM/: 400 YARDS
FATALITIES: 0
INJURIES: 0
START DATE: 03/15/2026
START TIME: 10:48 PM CDT
START LOCATION: 1 W LEXINGTON / LAUDERDALE COUNTY / AL
START LAT/LON: 34.9671 / -87.3831
END DATE: 03/15/2026
END TIME: 11:04 PM CDT
END LOCATION: 1 E MINOR HILL / GILES COUNTY / TN
END LAT/LON: 35.0368 / -87.1486
SURVEY SUMMARY:
A STORM SURVEY TEAM DETERMINED THAT A TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN IN AN
OPEN FIELD WEST OF EARNEST STREET AND SOUTH OF HIGHWAY 4 IN
LEXINGTON. AS IT APPROACHED EARNEST STREET, IT CAUSED AN OPEN
OUTDOOR STRUCTURE PROPPED UP ON CINDER BLOCKS TO SLIDE TO THE
NORTH AS WELL AS SNAPPED 4X4S AND UPROOTED TREES. THE TORNADO
TRACKED NORTHEAST TOWARD LEXINGTON CITY HALL AND CAUSED MINOR ROOF
DAMAGE TO FIVE STRUCTURES. CONTINUING NORTHEAST, THE TORNADO
UPROOTED NUMEROUS TREES ALONG HIGHWAY 64 BEFORE CROSSING HIGHWAY
59. ALONG THE WAY, MULTIPLE TREES WERE SNAPPED, HOMES HAD SIDING
DAMAGE, SEVERAL SMALL OPEN STRUCTURES COLLAPSED, AND A GARAGE DOOR
WAS BLOWN IN. IT CONTINUED SNAPPING AND UPROOTING TREES AS IT
APPROACHED THE STATE LINE.
THE TORNADO CROSSED THE TENNESSEE/ALABAMA STATE LINE AND MOVED
NORTHEAST, CONTINUING FOR 10 MORE MILES IN TENNESSEE. IN
BONNERTOWN, MANY RESIDENCES WERE IMPACTED, WITH SEVERAL HOMES
HEAVILY DAMAGED. A FEW MANUFACTURED HOMES WERE MOVED OFF THEIR
PIERS, AND A COUPLE MOBILE HOMES WERE LOFTED OR SLID, REMAINING IN
TACT. OTHER STRUCTURAL DAMAGE INCLUDED MISSING AWNINGS, REMOVED
SHINGLES, CARPORTS THROWN, AND TREES FALLING ONTO THE STRUCTURES.
SEVERAL FARM OUTBUILDINGS WERE DESTROYED. NUMEROUS TREES WERE
SNAPPED OR UPROOTED. BEYOND BONNERTOWN, THE TORNADO CONTINUED EAST
ALONG APPLETON ROAD, DOWNING TREES AND DESTROYING A CHICKEN FARM
ROOF. AS THE TORNADO CROSSED INTO GILES COUNTY, DAMAGE WAS MOSTLY
TREES DOWNED OR UPROOTED, AND BRANCHES SNAPPED. A FEW STRUCTURES
WERE IMPACTED IN GILES COUNTY SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST OF MINOR HILL DUE
TO TREES FALLING. A FEW METAL FARM OUTBUILDINGS WERE ALSO
COLLAPSED. THE TORNADO ENDED QUICKLY SOUTH-SOUTHEAST OF MINOR
HILL.
WE APPRECIATE THE ASSISTANCE OF LAUDERDALE EMA (AL), LAWRENCE EMA
(TN), GILES EMA (TN) AS WELL AS THE COLLABORATION WITH THE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN NASHVILLE TO COMPLETE THIS SURVEY.
EF SCALE: THE ENHANCED FUJITA SCALE CLASSIFIES TORNADOES INTO THE
FOLLOWING CATEGORIES:
EF0.....65 TO 85 MPH
EF1.....86 TO 110 MPH
EF2.....111 TO 135 MPH
EF3.....136 TO 165 MPH
EF4.....166 TO 200 MPH
EF5.....>200 MPH
NOTE:
THE INFORMATION IN THIS STATEMENT IS PRELIMINARY AND SUBJECT TO
CHANGE PENDING FINAL REVIEW OF THE EVENT AND PUBLICATION IN
NWS STORM DATA.
MAGEE/MEYER/CRAMER
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